Hitch device



Jan 4, 1944 E. G. KAsTENscHMlDT 2,338,334

HITCH DEVICE Filed June l2, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 4, 1944.

"E. G. KAsTr-:NscHMlDT HITCH DEVICE Filed June l2, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Jan. 4, 1944 Intron DEVICE Elmer G. Kastenschmidt, Mindoro,Wis.

Application June 12, 1942, Serial No. 446,803

V .(Cl. 97-47) 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a hitch device employed for coupling a farmimplement, such as a plow, to a tractor, and more particularly to ahitch adjusting medium, and has for the primary object the provision ofan attachment which mayV be easily and quickly installed on a tractorand connected to the hitch of the implement pulled by said tractor,sothat when said implement and tractor -are operating on a hillside, thehitch may be made to cause the implement to shift uphill when saidimplement tends to slip downhill and thus counteract the tendency of theimplement to side slip relative to the tractor and should said implement.be a gang plow, the operator of the tractor on reaching the hillsideand through the adjustment of said-attachment, may prevent the plowelements from yside slipping downhill and thereby assure each plowelement developing a full furrow.

With these and other objects in view as will become more apparent as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel featuresof construction, combination and arrangement. of parts as will behereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had tothe following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1is' a fragmentary top plan view showing a portion of a tractor and afarm implement hitched thereto with-the tractor equipped with thepresent invention and the latter connectedA to the hitch.

' Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view illustrating the mounting ofthe attachment on the rear axle housing of the tractor and its connection to the hitch.

Figure 3 Vis a sectional vView taken on tle line 3--3 of Figure 2.

. Figure 4 is a sectional view t'fken on the line 4 4, of Figure 2.

Figure l5 is a perspective view illustrating an attaching bracketforming a part of the attachtor by av hitch 1. 4 In this instance thefarm implement is avgangy type plow to which thevside members 8 ofthelhitch 'l are pivotally connected. The side members converge in `the'direction of the tractor and are connected at their forward ends byacross member 9 .underlying a pivoted type clevis III and the rear axlehousingl II of the tractor 5. The clevis I0 is connected to the housingII by a removable pivot pin I2 and connected to the clevis I0 arediverging chains or flexible elements I3 connected to ears I4 carried bythe side members 8 of the hitch 1.

Thus it will be seen that the farm implement 6 is capable of pivotalmovement in relation to the tractor.` This movement is desirable whenmaking Short turns and as long as the tractor is operating on levelground will have no effect on the proper operation of rthe farmimplement. However, when the implement and tractor are operating on ahillside, the pivotal connection of the hitch will permit the. implementto side slip relative to the tractor in a direction down` Y wardly ofthe hill. Said sidel slip of the implement, when the latter is of` agang plow type, will bring about improper plowing of the ground orprevent each plow element from completing a full furrow.

stud bolts I6 forming a part of the rear axle housing II of the tractor.The attaching plate I5 when bolted on the axle housing is arrangedvertically A'and 'to one side of the longitudinal l axis of the tractorand has its upper end bent at right angles and yapertured to form ajournal Il for an operating shaft I8 which is also joure 4naled inbearings .I9 and 20 of a bearing plate 2| secured on the attaching plateI5 and paralleling the latter. n

Stop collars 22 are secured on the operating shaft by set screws. andare varranged above and below the bearing I9 for limiting verticalmovement of the operating shaft., The lower end of Y the operating shaftis bent to form a crank 23on 'which is journaleda plate 24 apertured toreceive one end of a coil spring 25, thel other end ofthe Vcoil springbeing hooked into one of the ears I4 ofthe hitch 'I and upon an oppositeside of the longitudinal axlsof the tractor from the location of theoperating shaft I3. Y,

An operating handle 2s inthe fom ora crank is pivod tothe upper end ofthe operating shaft and is supported horlzontallmby a quadrant 2l -thequadrant may relieve the spring 25 of all tension so that the hitch lmay operate normally with full pivotal movement. However, by moving theoperating handle into the other notches, the tension on the spring 2Bmay be varied creating a side pull .upon the hitch 1. The actionsof thespring on the hitch 'l as specied is desired when the implement 6 andtractor 5 are operating on a hillside to prevent the implement fromslipping sideways or laterally of the tractor in a direction ofdownhill. The operator on yapproaching the hillside tensions the spring25 as desired so that said spring will act on the hitch to tend to shiftthe implement 6 upwardly of the hill and thereby i. prevent the'sideslipof the implement down\ wardly of the hill and permit the implementto track or follow instraight line with the tractor and also permit theplow` elements ofthe farm implement to each develop a full furrow in theground.

0i course, it'i's tov be understood thatzas. soon as the tractor andimplement fpasslirom the hillside, the operator through the manipulationof the operating handle 2B may release the actionl of Vthe spring on thehitch to permit the latter to function with. full and. free pivotal'movement while the tractor and implement 6 are traveling cnsubstantially level ground. While I have shownand described thepreferred embodiment of my lnventioniit will be understood that minorchanges `in construction, comy loination and arrangement. oi parts maybe made without departing from the spirit and scope ci the invention asclaimed.

Having thus described ply invention, what I claim is: v

l.. In combination with a tractor and a plow coupled thereto by a hitchpivoted to said tractor, an operating shalt iournaled on thetractor toone side ci the longitudinal axis thereof and in-v cluding a crank, aspring connected to said crank and to the hitch to one side of thelongitudinal axis ofthe tractongand means whereby saidfshai't may berotated to increase the tension of the spring to apply a force on thehitch and in a direction at substantially right "angles to thelongitudinal axis of said tractor tending to shift the plow sideways ina direction opposite to its normal tendency to side slip in an oppositedirection l on a hillside.

2. In an attachment for a hitch, an attaching plate mounted verticallyon a tractor to one side of the longitudinal-axis of said tractor, anoperating shaft rotatably supported by said attaching plate, a crankformed on said shaft, a coil spring having one end connected to thecrank and its opposite end connected to a hitch of the tractor and atone side of the longitudinal axis of the tractor, and meanswhereby saidshaft may be rotated to slacken and tension said spring whereby the.latter when tensioned will apply force to the hitch in a direction atright angles to the longitudinal axis of the tractor tending to shift aplow of the hitch sideways ina direction opposite to its normal tendencyto side slip in an opposite direction on a hillside.

J 3. in an-attachment for a. hitch, an attachingv platemountedvertically onea tractor to one side or the longitudinal axis of saidtractor, an oper-` ating shaft rotatably supported by said attaching Ves' by the attaching plate, and an operating handle plate, a crank formedon said shaft, a coil spring having one vend connected to' the crank andits opposite end connected to a hitch of the tractor and at 'ne side ofthe longitudinal 'axis of the tractor, a quadrant provided with notchescarried movable over said quadrant and notches and piv.-

oted to the operating shaft for rotating the latter to tension andslacken said spring whereby the latter on being tensioned applies aforce on a hitch pivoted to the tractor tending to shift'a plow of thehitch sideways in a direction opposite toits normal tendency to sidelslip on a hillside.` ELMER G. KAS'IENSCHlViIlJtl.r

